Grazing
Gazette
pennState
9 College of Agricultural Sciences
m cooperation with USDA/ARS
PASTURE DRY MATTER
INTAKE SHOULD YOU
MEASURE IT?
Lisa Holden
Penn State University
There is no question that in any
grazing system with any species
of animal, the amount of total dry
matter that animal consumes each
day will have a large impact on
performance.
Dry matter intake (DMI) drives
gain in growing animals and milk
yield in lactating animals. Without
adequate DMI, animals can lose
body condition, grow at less than
optimal rates, and cost you more
to keep and maintain than well fed
animals.
Total DMI in all types of feed
ing systems varies with the size,
age and nutrient requirements of
the animal, environmental condi
tions (temperature, humidity,
etc.), and amount, type, palatabili
ty. and availability of feed. Graz
ing systems can introduce more
variation in DMI because of
changes in pasture availability and
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different rates of substitution of
pasture for other feeds. It is easy
to see how much feed is left'in a
bunk and if cows can reach the
feed, it is not always so easy (es
pecially for a less experienced
grazier) to determine how much
available feed there is in a particu
lar paddock.
there is no question that both
total and pasture DMI can vary
and that DMI is important for ani
mal performance. But should you
measure how much DM animals
consume for your particular graz
ing system?
In New Zealand, producers rou
tinely estimate pasture cover (in
directly they are estimating DMI)
and use that information for feed
budgeting. Dairy nutritionists esti
mate DMI from pasture and use
that information for ration formu
lation. Periodically on Graze-L
(see note below), the discussion of
estimating pasture DMI comes up
and ideas are offered by produc
ers, scientists, and others. Some
producers have shared their ideas
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about estimating pasture DMI.
Estimating pasture DMI can be
done in a “quick and dirty” way or
can be done more accurately if
you want to take the time. Esti
mating pasture DMI means gaug
ing how much dry matter is in a
paddock before and after cows
graze. Amount before, minus
amount after, divided by number
of cows, is DMI perxow. There is
roughly about 300 pounds of DM
per acre in each inch of standing
forage (Note; This is a very rough
estimate.) So, for an acre paddock
with 6 inches of pasture that SO
cows graze for a day and leave at 3
inches: (6 inches x 300 pounds/
inch = 1800 pounds - (3 inches x
300 pounds/inch = 900 pounds.)
Therefore, 1,800 pounds DM
available - 900 pounds DM re
sidual = 900 pounds DMI/50 cows
= 18 pounds DM/cow/day. You
can make the height measure
ments with a yardstick or estimate
on your boot as you are walking.
There are also other more ac
curate ways of estimating herbage
in a paddock. Electronic probes
ate available, and less expensive
rising plate meters can be purchas
ed or made at home. It is import
ant that these devices be calibrated
by cutting, drying and weighing
herbage, to be accurate for your
geographic area. Estimates of pas
ture DMI will likely not ever be as
accurate as using a set of scales
and before and after weights on
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feed, it is possible to obtain rela
tively reliable estimates if you
are willing to take the time.
There is no question that there
are relatively accurate ways to es
timate pasture DMI, but should
you measure how much DM ani
mals consume for your particular
grazing system?
Estimating and recording pas
ture DMI for your grazing system
will provide information for mak
ing decisions when to move
animals, when to provide supple
ment, etc. Estimating DMI on a
particular paddock provides infor
mation about both plants and ani
mals in the system.
Good grazing management re
quires managing both plants and
animals together. Changes in pas
ture availability, signaled by
changes in DMI, will occur with
season and with changes in
weather.
Short-term grazing decisions
must be made daily and weekly,
either with information or simply
“by eye.” Having estimates of pas
ture DMI can be useful in making
grazing management decisions,
even for the experienced eye.
Collecting farm data (animal
and crop production, financial,
• July 11, Pasture Walk, North
umberland Co. (717-784-6660)
• July 13, Pasture Walk, Frank
lin Co. (717-352-8676)
• July 27, Pasture Walk, Frank
lin Co. (717-352-8676)
• March 6 and 7, PA Grazing
Conference, Carlisle, PA
Annual Composting Forum July 11
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) The Pennsylvania Com
posting Association (PACA) will
hold its second annual forum on
Tuesday, July 11, at the Double-
tree Club Hotel in Middletown.
Daniel J. Eichenlaub, president
of PACA, will give the welcoming
address. William Ginn, president
of the state’s Composting Coun
cil, will deliver the keynote ad-
dress, which will focus on critical
issues in successful composting.
Providing updates on govern
ment affairs will be Charles Bro-
sius, state secretary of agriculture;
Tom Woy, of the Department of
THE END OF TEAT INJURY
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This product can be purchased at your local Farm Stores or Feed
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 8, 1995-A3l
etc.) either yourself or by hiring
others for their services is part of
managing a farm business. Some
data is collected because it is
needed by someone off the farm,
and some is collected because it is
important. Written records can
help to manage the day-to-day
operation of the farm as well as to
help the manager make long-term
decisions.
Estimating pasture DMI is col
lecting data. Is that data import
ant? Yes. Can you collect that data
easily? Yes. Do you need to col
lect that data? Only if you will use
it.
If developing a routine to make
and record estimates of pasture
DMI will help you to make better
grazing management decisions,
then the time to make those esti
mates is well spent
Authors Note: Graze L is an
electronic discussion list on In
ternet
Environment Resources; John
I jiff., of the Pennsylvania Depart
ment of Agriculture; and Ann
Carkhuff, of the U.S. Environ
mental Protection Agency.
The registration fee is $4O per
person and includes tuition, re
freshments and lunch.
For more information, contact
the Commercial Composting For
um, The Pennsylvania State Uni
versity, 306 Ag Administration
Building, University Park. PA
16802-8301. phone (814)
865-8301, FAX (814) 865-7050,
TDD (814) 865-1204.
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